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The environment and forests department has started to develop a habitat for peafowl at Madhopur Govind village in East Champaran district following a report presented by a wildlife committee.

The department is laying the groundwork to ensure the development, nourishment and protection of peacocks and peahen by creating a friendly atmosphere for the birds.

Divisional forest officer (DFO) Lal Babu Manjhi told The Telegraph: “The process to prepare a habitat for the peafowl began this monsoon with the laying of a soil cover over Mehsi canal. Saplings to the birds’ liking and necessary for their growth will also be planted around the Mehsi in autumn.”

The canal passes through Madhopur Govind village, better known as Mayur Gaon, 36km southwest of Motihari and 120km northwest of Patna, where a couple of peacocks and peahen were first brought from Sonepur Mela way back in 1950. A two-member committee of experts from Mandar Nature Club, Bhagalpur, comprising state wildlife board member Arvind Mishra and field assistant Akhtar Hussain, had visited the village on May 13 to prepare a report based on the requirements for creating a habitat for the birds.

The development followed chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Seva Yatra to East Champaran district in April. Nitish had directed officials concerned to maintain an ecological balance to preserve the peafowl.

The two-member committee presented its report in May. Thereafter, the state forests department swung into action.

Manjhi, the DFO, said as part of the preservation programme, 15,000 saplings of plants like seemal, bamboo, kadam, gulmohar, teak and mahogany, are being developed at the state government’s Piprakothi nursery, around 30km north of Madhopur Govind village. These plants, said the experts, are considered necessary for proper growth and development of peacocks and peahens.

Manjhi said: “The state government’s extensive plantation programme for the preservation of peafowl will continue at the village for the next five years.”

He added: “Apart from the government’s initiatives in ensuring proper food, friendly habitat and favourable environment for the peafowl, residents of the area also need to be alert about the proper growth and conservation of peafowl in this particular region of Champaran.”

The forests department is also conducting a plantation drive in East Champaran district. The department has started providing saplings at subsidised rates to farmers during Van Mahotsav in the district between July 16 and August 9.

Mahadalit and Dalit families in the villages are also being provided the same free of cost during the drive. All the beneficiaries would have to sign a bond to ensure the protection of the saplings under their care.